Igniter for internal-combustion engines.



E. G. WAYMANQ IGNITER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FiLED JAN 3|. l9l6- Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

mm u my L g INVENTOH TE dTAd TENT li 'ltfi.

nnnnnn Gr. WAYMAN, or swIssvALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro WILLIAM c. voGEnBnneER, oFWILKINsBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITEBJ FOB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patentedhlov. 2?, I912.

Application filed January 31, 1916. Serial No. 75,327.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that LEDMU G. WAYMAN, residing at Swissvale, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United- States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Igniters for Internal-Combustion Engines, ofwhich improvements the following is a specification.

.My invention relates to spark plugs or igniters for internal combustion engines, and has particularly to do with igniters where in at least one of the electrodes is, by the pneumatic pressure within a cylinder, movable to break an electric circuit. 7 V d The object of myinvention is to improve the general construction and operation of such igniters. A more specific object is to provide an igniter wherein one of the electrodes is pivoted for lateral movement and is held yieldingly toward the other electrode by means of a spring unexposed to the inter nal heat of the engine.

In the' accompanying sheet of drawings I have illustrated various embodiments of my invention. Of the several Figures, 1, 2, 3 and i, each is a central sectional view of an igniter as applied to acylinder wall of an internal combustion engine.

It is characteristic of each of the igniters shownherein that the electrodes are normally out of engagement with each other, the desired spark being effected by causing one of the electrodes tomove longitudinally through the cylinder wall to make and break contact with the other; also, that one Or the other of the electrodes is pivotally mounted, preferablv by a ball-and-socket joint arranged-intermediate of the length of the electrode, so that when struck by the other electrode it will move laterally.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the parts of the igniterare shown as secured to a plug 1 havmg screw thread connection with a cylinder wall 2. In this embodiment ofrmy invention, an electrode 3, provided with a piston 4, is mounted for reciprocatory movement in the plug 1. The pneumatic pressurewithin the cylinder acts upon the inner ends of electrode and piston to cause theelectrode to move outwardly, and a compresslng spring 5, disposed outside of the cylinder, acts upon the opposite end of the electrode to move it inwardly. The efi'ectiv'e' resistance of the spring 5 to the upward movement of the electrode may be varied by an adjusting screw 6 borne by theouter end of an arm 7. Asecond electrode 8 is, by means of a balland-socket joint 9 preferably disposed intermediate of its length, pivotally mounted in a block 10, secured to, but insulated from, the plug 1; The outer end of this electrode is held yieldingly away from the electrode 3 by means of an adjustable spring '11 secured at one end to the electrode and engaged at its other end by a screw 20 adjustably borne by an arm 12. To hold the electrode Sin such position that its lower end will normally not contact with the electrode 3, I preferably provide, in a suitable arm 13, a set screw 21, adapted to be held in its properly adjusted position by means of a lock nut 22. It will be observed of both electrodes 3 and 8 that they are provided, respectively, with disk-shaped contactors 14 and 15 having beveled edges. Furthermore, both electrodes are so mounted that they may rotate on their central axes and thus cause an even wear upon the contact disks.

In the operation of this igniter, conductors for current supply may be attached one to the block 10 and the other to the cylinder wall 2, as indicated. Also, the pressure exerted by the spring 5 upon the electrode 3 will, by the adjustment of the screw 6, be so regulated that the electrode will not move until a predetermined pneumatic pressure is attained in the cylinder. When such pressure is attained, the electrode 3 will move outwardly,1 the contactor 14 making and then breaking contact with the contactor 15 of electrode 8. It is upon the breaking of contact that the desired spark is effected. It will be understood that the upward movement of the electrode 3 causes thelower end of the electrode 8 to swing laterally on its pivot point 9. Also, it will be understood that the pneumatic pressure upon such elec- I the electrode 3 has under' the action of spring 5, moved downwardly to-its normal] position.

The igniter showninFig. 2 aiaers from that of Fig. 1, in that in the former the plug 1 is provided with by-passes 16 and 17 7 whereby the pneumatic; pressure is caused to act upon the back of the piston 4 of the electrode3, causing suchelectrode to move;

' 3 in addition'to its longitudinal pressure actuated movement, moves laterally when it strikes the electrode 8". The spring 5 of this igniter is a tension spring, having its opposite ends secured to the plug 1 and to the endotth'e electrode 3 ,'and serves the double purpose of pressing such electrode inwardly and'of holding ityieldingly in a vertical p0siti0n.

In the. i'gnite'r shownin Fig. l the electrode 3 moves both' longitudinally and laterally in the same manner as'the electrode 3 of Fig. 3. However, the electrode 3 is provided with arelatively large ball 25 which serves the doublepurpose of a piston and; a pivoting point for such electrode. Also, in the igni-t'er of this figure the electrode 8 is mount'edjfor a limited longitudinalmovement under the action of the pneumatic pressure within the cylinder and against the. resistance of a spring 26. The relative strengths of the springs 5 and 26 and the areas ofthe electrodes 3 and 8 exposedto pneumatic pressure are such that the electrode 3 will first move to make contact with the electrode 8, and that both electrodes will then move together until the electrodeB has reached the limit of its permissible movementfat which time the further movement of the electrode'5 will cause the breaking of contact between the elecinstrumentalities which I now considerfto representthebest embodiments of my in vention; However, I'desireto have it understood that the constructions shown are only illustrative, and 'that'the invention may be practised by other means. i I 'claim as my invention. l

I; In an igniter for internal-combustion engines, the combination With a cylinder electrodes being movable by pneumatic pressure to make and break contact with the other electrode, one ofvsaid electrodes being pivotally mounted at a pointintermediate of its longitudinal extent, whereby it may move laterally when engaged by the other electrode, and'yielding means without said cylinderfor resisting said longitudinal and lateral electrode *movements;

2'; In an igniter for internal combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder wall, of a pair of electrodes provided with laterally-projecting contactors normally out of engagement with each other, one of said electrodes being longitudinally movable by pneumatic pressure to make and break contact with the other electrode, one of said electrodes being pivotallymounted by means ofa .ball-and-socket joint at a point intermediate of its longitudinal extent whereby itmay-move laterallywhen engaged by the other electrode, and yielding means Without the cylinder for resisting said longitudinal and lateral electrode movements. Y

3. In an'igniter for internal-combustion engines, the combination with a cylinder wall, of an electrode provided with a-lat'er ally' extending contactor and mounted for pressure-actuated longitudinal movement in said wall, a second, electrode pivotally mounted in said wall and providedjwith a laterally "extending contactor, said second electrode being movable laterally by the lon gitudinal movement of'the first-named elec trode, and springs without the, ylinder for resisting the respective longitudinal and lateral movements of said 'elcctrodes- 4 Inan igniter for internal combustion engines, the combinationwith a cylinder wall, of an electrode'provided with alaterally extending disk-shaped contactor and mounted for pressure-actuated longitudinal movement in said Wall, a second electrode pivotally mounted in said wall by meansof a.balland-socket joint and provided with a disk-shaped contactor normally out of engagement with" said. contactor of thefirst named electrode, said second electrode'being movable laterallyby the longitudinal movement. of the first-named electrode, and springs without the cylinder for resisting the respective longitudinal and lateral movements of said electrodes. 5. In an igniterforinternalcombustion engines, the combination with a cylinder wall, of an electrode mountedtherein for pressure-actuated longitudinal inovement, a spring for resisting such movement and adapted to hold said electrode normally in one position, a second electrode mounted to move laterally when engaged by said" first ioo 1,248,219 electrode and having a frictional bearing the resistance of which varies according to the pneumatic pressure Within the cylinder, a spring for holding said second electrode yieldingly toward said first electrode and normally in the path of longitudinal movement thereof, said second-named spring being inefiective to move said second electrode to its normal position While said first electrode is in other than its normal posi- 10 tion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDMUND G. WAYMAN.

Witnesses:

PAUL N. CmToHLoW, FRANCIS J. TOMASSON.

Gopiea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

